A highly active and complex soil life is essential to grow produce of optimum quality, naturally nutrient dense and balanced.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that soils, due mainly to current farming systems and to the application of synthetic fertilisers and chemicals; lack the ability to function properly. Many farmers employing conventional farming practices are slowly but surely depleting their soils and their practices are not encouraging a highly active and alive soil. Unfortunately without a functioning soil most of these fertilisers and chemicals either remain in the soil, unavailable for plant uptake or get washed away or evaporated into the atmosphere. What a waste and what a disaster often for the ecological balance!
Most chemicals are highly toxic and a highly active soil life is necessary to process these chemicals. It is to be noted that soil microbes are being used extensively for bioremediation in many parts of the world to successfully eliminate all forms of soil and water contamination. It is a logical conclusion then that to reduce soil toxicity on the farm, active soil microbes are needed. Then if some chemicals are used, then a highly biologically active soil could quickly breakdown the chemical residue. How do you do this?
Many farmers question growing produce without the aid of synthetic fertilisers and chemicals. They are worried about yield and problems such as pests and weeds.
However a natural system has an inbuilt functioning system to deal with soil and plant disease, insect and fungal attack and weed pressure.
All farmers whether they are converting to certified growing or not, need to realize that conversion to biological practices is not as difficult as it may appear and in fact is advantageous. What is often overlooked is the soil foodweb. Just as our bodies digest the food we eat, the soil performs a similar function.
We need food, air and water, a balanced acid/alkaline ratio and a healthy gut system to stay healthy and to ward off disease. The soil needs the same. Once highly active and complex soil foodweb system has been established, anything added to the soil is digested, stored and is available for plant uptake. This then leads to healthy plant growth and consequently healthy animals. Many farmers are aware of ever increasing animal health problems; problems such as infertility, mastitis, birthing difficulties, lice and worms but fail to recognize their connection to low quality feeds grown with synthetic fertilisers, which lack natural vitamins and minerals, needed for healthy microbial growth.
